Tamed
by Clisaaaa
Summary: Its the 66th Annual Hunger Games. Alexis Lumbrage of District 10 has been reaped. Can the fifteen year old, Alexis survive? Eventual Finnick/OC {Hiatus}
1. The Mother

Disclaimer: The hunger games is not mine!

This is the first attempt at writing a story in a couple of years. Please don't judge on how much I sidetrack from the actual story xD and also don't judge my grammar. I'm also not that educated in how to run a farm. District 10 hasn't been said on how it works yet, so I had to make it up, sorry again.

* * *

It was a normal day in District 10 when my mother died.

My father and brother were rounding up the cattle, my sister was collecting the eggs from the chickens and I was grooming the horses.

My mother, Lilith had made a deal with the Friedga Family, a well known family that takes care of horses and trains the horses for the Capitol; The mother city of Panem. The Friedga's had asked my mum if she could tame a out of control horse, they had just got from the Capitol to train. My mother used to be part of the wealthiest stable home before she found my father. She's a natural with horses. So of course they wanted my mum to see if she could tame the horse, if they couldn't.

The horse was Arabian horse with a plain but rich brown coat. My family used to own some of them; My family particularly rushed to sell our Arabian horses after she died.

My mother obviously fell in love with the horse as soon as she came into her sights. I could tell by her unusual sparkle in her eyes when she approached the horse. I can't ever forget her eyes, the eyes of someone who adores and loves the beautiful creatures, the eyes that were always kind and forgiving whenever I pushed my little sister into a revolting pile of cow pat, and the eyes, me and my siblings loved more than anything; And I can never forget them when the life left from them.

I remember coming out of the stables after grooming the last horse, sitting on the fence to watch my mother tame the crazy horse, and seeing her finally be able to get on the horse.

She looked at me when she did, she looked like she had just completed her life accomplishment and she was still looking at me when the horse suddenly threw her off. Maybe if I hadn't been too absorbed in being happy for her, I could've warned her that the horses legs were getting ready to throw her off. Usually she would've been prepared to be thrown off but she was so sure that she had the horse tamed.

She was thrown back, landing at the top of her back where the neck meets the back, in the middle of the shoulder blades. She had skitted a little. The pain in her face from the distance I was from, was evident.

I ran and ran as fast as my undeveloped legs could take me, to her. The horse had been too occupied to get out of the contained area to care for me.

I screamed for my mum as a ran. This had alerted my father.

In my six year old mind, I knew for a fact that my mother was injured but I didn't know how bad it was. I repeated her name a few times before I got a response. It had reminded me of when I used to sneak into hers and my fathers bed at night and wake her up to see if could get in. I surprised her, her eyes looked like they were tired; half asleep. I didn't realise then it was because of how much pain she was in. I didn't know if she moved her body, her spine would break. I didn't even know the internal bleeding that had came from the throw, this insured she was dead even if we worked around her spine.

Somehow she moved her head though, I asked her if she was alright. she smiled at me, like everything was alright.

My father arrived then, he was shouting my name. He had looked confused, but when he saw my mother on the ground, his face turned instantly to fear. He started calling my mothers name, first it was loud but as he jumped over the fence and ran closer, it turned into whispers.

I remember him asking what happened, my mother just smiled. She knew she was dead, and just as I saw relief cross my fathers face and he slightly move his arms under her to lift her up. There was this unforgettable crack.

My brother and sister had just arrived when they saw my fathers petrified face. I was frozen as well, I was confused and I had no idea what happened.

One moment my mother was smiling the next her face had lost its glow.

.

.

.

None of them had realised that the horse had escaped.


	2. Chapter 1

I suck at grammar, I'm sorry. :(

Disclaimer: I do not on the hunger games universe and its characters. I'd be rich if so xD

I split his chapter in half and the other half is now chapter 2.

* * *

The smell of hay and the sun shining through my window, highlighting my small room is what I'm greeted with when I wake up. My room has only a small wooden closet, a desk with a mess of books, a mirror with cracked corners and my bed. I'm happy with my room, so it's not a bad sight to wake up to.

I groan when I sit up, pushing myself to get up and not go back to sleep. It's not that hard, since I had a good nights sleep and I actually want to get outside and do work today.

Most people think district 10 just takes care of cows but they actually take care of sheep, goat, chickens, bees and horses as well; Don't tell me you think the horses in the tribute parade were automatically trained, were the district for livestock, of course they give us the task to train the horses.

And that's what I'm doing today, training horses.

In my family, I'm usually either butchering the cows, wrapping them up and hanging them up for transport to the Capitol but sometimes I'm just training the horses.

Sadly we don't earn that much more for the beef and milk we send to the Capitol but it's enough to keep us living without being starved to death. I personally earn money by training the horses. It's personal because it's my job outside my family business. I work for the Coatrian's which is probably the most wealthiest family in district 10 besides the mayor and Aurora Humbert; Victor of the 56th annual hunger games. Currently the only victor we have alive.

I'm only lucky to get a job from the Coatrian's because my best and only friends are the Coatrian twins, and they wanted me to be around them more often.

I change into my usual work clothing. Jeans and a old t-shirt. They both look obviously worn out.

I grab my pale yellow cowboy hat, and look at myself in the corner cracked mirror. My father had found it in the black market that's in one of the abandoned barns on the outskirts of the bee sanctuary. The black market doesn't have a name, but if it does, I haven't heard of it. I was lucky, the mirror wasn't cracked right down the middle and it was cheap, so my father bought it for me.

As I look at myself, I can't help but stare at my eyes, so very much like my mothers deep brown and with a tinge of maroon. It looks almost red if you looked deep into it. I sadden a little when I think of my mother. It's been nine years since she died. My brother is nineteen and my little sister is thirteen, and I , myself is fifteen.

We had struggled a little when she died, we were mourning over our loss and we were in desperate need to feed ourselves. My father had to sell the horses and the stable so we could get back to living and for a little bit, not worry about starving.

Well, we didn't sell all of our horses, we kept three. A family of three, I'll see them later at the Coatrian's; that's where we keep them until we are in need for them to round up the cattle.

Just as I leave my room, I grab a hair tie and wrap it around my long and straight brunette hair that reaches to half way down my forearm, and tie it up into a pony tail. I walk down the hall, past the rooms where I can hear my siblings getting up as well. My father would be already up, getting breakfast ready so we could quickly get to work. When I get to the small dining area, my dad is already out working. I could tell by the covers on the food.

I lift the cover off the dish in front of the seat, I usually sit in, and study the soup that is lying there. There is also milk beside it, probably fresh from Daisy, our own diary cow. Common name, I know, but my family had always sucked at giving names.

We were lucky to keep her though. We're usually not allowed to keep any of the animals and use them for our benefits, as its against the law. But we saved up for Daisy and legally bought her.

It's weird, the way things work around here. We get the cows, chickens etc. but it's not ours, we only raise them, feed them, make them breed, then butcher them and send them to the Capitol. We have to buy them to keep them for our own uses and that is not cheap. It's the same with horses, raise them, train them then send it out to the Capitol.

It's not like they don't get enough of the food, the Capitol, I mean. I'm pretty sure they even throw the stuff out, if it isn't eaten when it's served. I'm sure I've sent more than one hundred years worth of beef over to them, still they need more, but It's not like we can refuse, as they pretty much have complete control of us. We die, if we refuse and even if we refuse, we're still in danger of going into the hunger games. The silly annual event, the Capitol holds to keep the districts from rebelling. The games which take twenty-four children that age from twelve to eighteen from the twelve districts, so they can fight to death and provide entertainment for the Capitol. It's revolting on how they are all entertained by the deaths of children like its all a game. Which it is, of course but to the districts, it's your worst nightmare to be reaped and be put in the games.

My family are quite wealthy compared to other families, but like everyone else we're still at risk of starving and we still get tessera for each of our family, which means a years supply of grain and oil that will last a year for one person; But since we get four tessera each year, that means that one of our names will be put in the bowl for the hunger games four more extra times along with the amount that goes in because of our ages. This year, instead of Jude doing the tessera because he's now over eighteen, it's my turn for the next three years. This means my name will be in that bowl for the girls name, eight times. I'm fifteen which means my name is automatically in there four times.

I'm not that worried about it, as the chance of my name being called out is very slim compared to others.

* * *

My brother and sister sit down at the table just as I finished my milk. I smile at them, which they return.

"Good morning, my lovely brother and sister!" I say, knowing that I would annoy them both for being cheery in the morning.

"Good morning, Alexis," My brother says with a slight grin. Then my sister adds "Our horrible sister" she too had a grin plastered on her face, but she unlike my brother started laughing which he ended up joining in anyway.

I place my hand on my heart as if offended. Then move on to spooning my soup again with smile on my face.

I'd say my siblings and I have a good friendship. We've all been in bad times and good times, and we've all been there for each other everytime, so of course we have a good friendship; but that's to be expected, we are a family.

"Well, I'm going to the Coatrian's" I said getting up, finished with my soup. My siblings just nod as I wash up my bowl and neatly stack it back in the cupboard where we store our bowls, plates and cutlery.

I slipped on my shoes and waved to my brother and sister again when my brother spoke up "Be back soon, we need your expertise for the butchering" his eyes, which are the same colour as mine, stare back at me clearly stern. I grin and nod "Anything for you Judy-wudy".

My sister roared of laughter, almost spitting out her milk.

Her reaction isn't uncommon around here, she usually laughs about everything.

Jude, which is the name of my brother glares at me, not impressed by me using his nickname I gave him when we were younger.

Then I walk out of the house.

* * *

I greet the Coatrian's as I arrive at their doorstep before getting tackled by two very familiar blondes. The two obviously twins look up at me with a wide smile of their faces

"LEXI!" Happily screams Mollie, the girl of the twins "We wondering when you'll arrive!" Adds Tyler, the boy.

They both have the same faces but there's differences. For example, Mollie has longer hair and also fuller lips while Tyler has short hair and more of a muscle build. They may be fourteen but they are like any other person in district ten, very hardworking.

"I didn't make you wait that long" I say, walking inside their house and striding to the back door, not bothering to admire the architecturel

The twins walked beside me, they both looked ready to work.

"Your right, he was just exaggerating. We only just finished eating when you knocked" Mollie said, the more mature one of the two.

I smile, "I wanted to ask you guys, Dani wanted to know if you were interested in some eggs?"

The twins brighten up "Sure, we'll buy some" they love eggs, which is a good thing cause my sister sells them and since money isn't that big of a problem for the Coatrian's nowadays, they want to help out families who need the money.

Which is mainly why my family haven't starved for months. I work for them and my sister who is Dani, is selling them eggs.

My family have our own business for eggs in the district. We bought the chickens so we don't have to give them to the Capitol. My sister, Dandelion who is nicknamed Dani, takes care of them. She doesn't particularly like cows or horses so this is what she does for the family. She raises chickens, collects their eggs and sells them with the price of money or some food, but sometimes she gives them out for objects of no value to starving customers. My family don't get angry when she does it, as we all understand how it feels when people try to sell things of no value. Personally, I like it when people sell books for eggs. Mainly because when they do, Dani gives them to me cause she knows my love for books.

Books fascinate me. I had read my first one in school, it was about a girl who loved books like me but she had gotten imprisoned and been made to work by a beast when she was just trying to save her father. In the end of the book, she fell in love with the beast and saved him from his curse which was why he was so cruel in the beginning. The book was called 'Beauty and the Beast' and I forever love this book as it had taught me not to judge people by what everyone else says and to not love someone because everyone else does. It taught me to be myself and not to judge before really meeting someone.

Ever since then, I had been getting books from anywhere. My family too had gotten books for me. No wonder my desk has so many books on it.

Me and the twins walk into the stables with all the horses.

I immediately walk to my own horse, a Peruvian horse, with a light grey coat and black hair. My family own her, she was the third member of the family of horses we kept. She was a baby horse then, now she's full grown horse of almost ten years. She was born when I was almost six and was my birthday present when I turned six. I love her, I spent most of my time with her when my mother died. Whenever my family or a book couldn't subdue my grief, I went to her. Even if she couldn't talk to me, she cuddled up to me like she knew I was having a bad time and I needed support. There was rarely a day I wasn't sleeping in the Coatrian's barn with her.

"How are you, my lovely Katniss?" I softly say to her as I patted her white mark in the middle of her forehead. I called her Katniss, after the flower I encountered once when I was with my mother. She had told me that the flower was called Katniss. I only remember the time because it was last time I spent with my mother before her death. The flower that grew by lake and also means 'arrowhead' will always be glued to my mind as the last thing my mother taught me and the name of my beloved horse.

Katniss leans into my touch with a gentle neigh, already making my day more happier than It was before.

* * *

PLEASE DO NOT JUDGE ON HOW TERRIBLE I AM AT MAKING THIS EXCITING!

AND IM SO SORRY FOR MAKING IT INCREDIBLY LONG AND DESCRIPTIVE.

but even if it's bad, please favourite and follow?


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own the hunger games

I wanted to split the first chapter so here.

'Once apart of chapter 1 but now it's chapter 2' chapter

* * *

"Lexi, Hurry up with Katniss!" Tyler pleaded by the door of the new Friesian Horses. He obviously wants to get the work over and done with.

It's not like we'll train the horses in a day. Today we're just getting to know them and grooming them in the process.

I rack my fingers through Katniss's hair and give her a last pat on her forehead before moving over the Friesian Horses that had just came of age of riding and sent here from the Capitol to be trained, properly.

Mollie and Tyler were both examining the horses, there's four in total. All black coated. This means one of us will have to take two because, the twins wouldn't want help from anyone else. They are stubborn like that, well Tyler is. I tell myself to quickly claim one horse but I was too late cause as I thought that, Tyler and Mollie both said simultaneously "I'm taking that one", pointing to two horses. They knew the drill and it left me with two horses. I'll have to take care of both. Lucky me.

* * *

By the time, I successfully finish grooming the horses and taken them to a singular stable of their own. Mollie and Tyler were both done and riding some of the other horses they're training; And since it was only the start of the afternoon. I joined in but with Katniss instead of a soon-to-be-capitols-horse.

I ride her smoothly across the plains that we use for training the horses, alongside Mollie and Tyler.

I end up leaving, after about a hour of riding. I need to get to my own house, I have work to do there.

"Bye Katniss!" I say before leaving the stables and going over to the twins, who are waiting on the horses to see me off.

Mollie hopped off her horse, which I think she called 'highway', and I'm guessing she called the horse because I had been talking about highways and the cities from before the world was taken by the weather not too long ago and I guess it stuck her mind.

She gave me a hug "See you tomorrow" she says with a almost sad smile.

I gave her a sad smile back. Even with a rich family like hers, she is still in the running for the hunger games, and tomorrow, is the reaping.

We're all going may be going to the games tomorrow.

But like I said, I'm not that worried, I'm only a small percentage of thousands.

I wave to Tyler and walk back to my house.

Now that I'm thinking about it, if I did get in the games. I'll know for sure I'd lose. I'm not that strong, I may be a little faster than some people from school but that's almost nothing to careers. Careers are the tributes from district 1,2 and 4. Tributes who volunteer and have grown up training for the games; and it's not that surprising that the careers have won four years in a row now.

I think, it's mainly because nowadays, the poorer districts, including mine are getting slack or having terrible tributes drawn out from the Bowls of names.

Well okay, that's not entirely true, last year, someone from our district got into the top five until he unfortunately got captured by one of Finnick Odair's fishing nets and got stabbed by Finnick's trident.

I almost found it unfair that Finnick got a trident, but It wasn't really his fault, he's naturally good looking and the Capitol sponsors took notice of him because of it. It wasn't his fault because he wasn't the one that made him kill, it was the Capitol and their bloody complex that this will make people stay at bay and not rebel. To me, the Capitol doing this makes me think that they are afraid we will rebel again and this time win.

I know, that one day this will happen. Till then, we will send the children to fight to the death for the capitols amusement and make them believe we are fully under control. When really, we are just waiting for the right time. Though I may be wrong. I hope I'm not.

* * *

One hour later.

"Sending in the first cow, Alexis" my father says, lifting the gateway from the outside into the barn and a full grown beef cow comes through.

I lift up the blade in my hand before letting go and using all of my strength to kill the creature and hack off its head. Blood drips from the blade and onto my hands and apron.

Weirdly I'm not fazed by the blood and guts. It might have something to do with my mothers death but it might just be something I was born with.

I move on to skinning the beast, and slicing the legs and body off before wrapping them up and hanging them.

I repeat again, when another cows comes through the gate. Kill, skin, chop, hang, repeat.

Yup, my job for the family is butchering the cows.

My brother didn't have the guts to do it as he always vomited afterwards, so he helps dad milk the dairy cows and round up the beef cows for the butchering, I do. My sister just doesn't like big animals, which is alright as she has chickens, and my father taught me, so he can do it as well but he rather not when I can do it.

I started this weird talent when I was nine and I had watched my father do it. My siblings had dared me too, cause our father said to never to come in when he was in the butchering barn. At first, i was slightly horrified by all blood but oddly I had gotten used to it after a couple of cows. I had got caught when I accidentally knocked down a wrapped up leg but fortunately I didn't get punished, but my father did notice I was perfectly fine. So he had asked if I wanted to try. Which I did and that's leads me to today, butchering the cows like its nothing.

By the time, I had finished twelve cows, it was night. My father and me loaded the cow limbs on the truck that we use to drive to the large freezer warehouse next to the train station, so it doesn't become gross overnight.

Once we're on the road, my father and me start talking about the day.

It doesn't take long till we get there and sell the meat to the peacekeepers then give us the money for it and take the meat into their own hands for the Capitol to have.

The money should last us a week and a few days.

I didn't have a shower when I got home, I just had dinner and got into bed, read and fell asleep.

I sat with my family at the table, unlike most mornings, we got up late, and like every year on the day of the reaping, we have a day off and everyone sleeps in.

My family were silent. Jude sat worried for us. It's his first year off the hook and that meant my name is put in more times than the standard. He looked like he felt bad that I'm more at risk at having my name drawn out.

Dani has always been scared about the games even before last year where her name got put in the bowl for the first time.

My dad like both of my siblings worry and scared that we would lose another person.

They think I'm being idiotic cause I'm never as worried and scared as them. I could be, but it's one person out of a lot of children, I just don't see the point of it. Worrying when most people live without going in.

I guess, I'd be sad if a friend went, like Mollie. No, if she did, I'll have no idea how my life would continue. She's my best friend and I can't see my life without her in it, being the one to soften the blow of her brother's personality and to be the one that listens to the stories I read.

Either way, there's still a small percentage that her, Taylor and Dandelion's name will be taken out of that bowl.

Once I finished my breakfast, I head to my room to read. I still have a couple hours before I should get ready for the reaping.

When I reach my room and pick up a book on 'knots'. It's not that fun to read but you never know when knot tying will be useful.

* * *

Time flew and three hours later, I put down the book finished. I sigh and look out to the field outside my window which has cattle scattered all over the place. After a while of admiring the beauty of grass and the trees that provide shade for the animals. I got up off my bed, getting out my only dress, a denim light blue dress.

I walk out of my room, heading for the bath.

After washing the dirt and cow blood that I had gotten from yesterday, I get dressed into the dress. My sister is already dressed and so is the rest of my family when I travel back to my room to do my hair. I take my brunette hair and put it in a high only tail, leaving out my fringe. Which is just two shorts bits of my hair parted at the sides of my foreheads.

Once I'm done getting ready, I face my family. Who all have darker hair than me. I took after my mother in almost everything.

Anyway, we all headed off for the reaping as its starting in fifteen minutes.

* * *

Before I knew it, I was standing with the rest of the fifteen year olds, waiting for our Mayor to finish introducing Aurora Humbert, a girl whose in her 40's with lovely blonde hair which has a small hint of grey and a permanent tired face and who is sadly our only living victor at the moment before handing over the microphone to our escort, Baxtin, who once again is wearing a suit that has an animal printed all over it and this year it's a fish. Must be something to do with the fact that district 4, the fishing district won last year.

"Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favour!" You almost hear everyone's thoughts after Baxtin happily said that 'the odds are never in our favour'.

"I'll start with the girls!" He said as he walked over to the bowl with the girls names in it.

Everyone tenses around me, all hoping it's not them.

Like I said before, the percentage is very little of me getting it.

So I don't know why out of all the names

"Alexis Lumbrage!"

it's mine that is called out.

* * *

PLEASE DO NOT JUDGE ON HOW TERRIBLE I AM AT MAKING THIS EXCITING!

but even if it's bad, please favourite and follow?


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own the hunger games. I only own Alexis, Roland, her family and the twins. Nothing else.

* * *

I know I should be feelings miserable and scared but I can't help but feel angry.

Angry with myself and also angry with Baxtin for picking out my name out of everyone in this place.

How could I even think for one second, I could not be picked. It's like I jinxed myself into this, telling myself that it's almost impossible for my name to be picked.

I don't try to hide my anger when I walk up to the stage. Baxtin is obviously too happy and oblivious to notice the anger on my face when he almost guides me next to the microphone.

"Everyone give a great round of applause to our newest tribute!" He says into the microphone. You could hear cheers from the betting group. Who were waving around their betting slips; Guess who just made it on the list of people I want to butcher and hang. While everyone else was as silent as a snail.

"And now for the boys!" Baxtin continues, moving over to the other glass bowl, that has the boy names in it.

He shuffles through the bowl before taking one piece out.

So who am I going to have to see get murdered.

"Roland Friedgo"

Oh.

Well that's not bad.

I hate him.

Well not him, but his family. He's a boy of seventeen. Exactly eight years old when his family asked my mother to tame that damn horse.

I glare at him when he made his way to the stage. His face had obvious shock written all over it but he also looked miserable. Completely the opposite of me.

He stood by the microphone as Baxtin congratulated him and then asked for volunteers. I look into the crowd when he talks. Looking for my sister. When I found her, she was crying, sobbing hard into the girl next to hers shoulder. My face saddens, I begin to stop being angry at the whole thing and start to realise what the hell I'm getting put in.

The Hunger Games, the games where twenty-three children die and one comes out. The games where most victors come out crazy and out of their minds. The games where you kill to win. Where you kill other kids, your age, older and younger. The games that I'm getting forced into, where I will die and scar my family forever.

No one volunteers, I can see Mollie, she looks like she was going to volunteer but judging from the looks Tyler is sending her from his section. He convinced her otherwise. He was smart for doing that, it was better me than her, she's too soft and caring to kill anyone.

The Mayor steps up to take the microphone again to begin the tradition of the Treaty of Treason, once he's done. He asks us to shake hands. My mood shifted when I step up to shake Roland's hand, I glare at him but he sends me a almost guilty look when he looked at me, like he finally realised who I was and he was sorry for her.

My mood swings again into almost surprise when he gives me a squeeze from his hand. I felt stupid then, it's not his fault. I judged him based on what his family did. I told myself never to do that, but I did. I always glared at him when I saw him in school and I've even convinced my sister to trip his little brother before.

All these emotions are overwelming, I've always just been angry, happy, prideful and sometimes I don't think I have any emotions, but now I'm feeling sad that I'm going to die and I'm feeling sorry for a guy I've always hated on. It's pretty sudden and weird how I realise now but I've always done this. Logical thoughts pass through my brain instantly when I feel like I'm in danger, this happened a lot after my mother died but it passed over quickly once my father started to get back into living and surviving.

Now, I just know I'm going to die and my senses are increasing because of it.

* * *

I stand in a room in the justice building after being 'escorted' gently into it. I know any moment now, I'll see my family walk into here to say their last goodbyes to me.

I sat down on a obviously very expensive sofa when they come in. My father has red puffy eyes, he probably broke down, when he realised that he'll lose another family member. My brother looked sad as well but he had not cried, he most likely wants to look strong for the sister, he's going to lose. My sister who is still crying ran up and hugged me. I lift her up and spin her around for probably the last time, she's very small and light and even though she's thirteen, she has not gotten her growth spurt; so she's easy to pick up.

I place her back down and give her a sad smile before being hugged by the males of the family.

"Oh, my little Lexi" my father murmurs "I'm sorry"

"It's not your fault, dad" I say as I lean into their hug, trying to burrow my way into my fathers chest like I did when I was younger.

My brother sniffs, his eyes were clearly watery "At least, you didn't get paired up with someone you like, right?" He says clearly referring to Roland.

My dad glares at him, he's never liked blaming the Friedgo's like we did.

I gently laugh but frown "it's not his fault," referencing to the incident "and I think it would be better if I was paired with someone I didn't know"

My brother looked a little surprised and look like he wanted to argue but he nodded, not wanting to fight his sister before leaving.

Dandelion sobs loudly again "I don't want to lose you" she states before ramming into me for another hug. I could feel a tear leaving my eyes but I wiped it away.

I know it's not the truth but I said it anyway "Don't worry, you won't lose me"

The guards come in then, telling them their time was up. My father and brother both take Dandelion from me "We'll be waiting for you" my brother says. Like he believes I could win, and my dad nods sadly.

I smile at them, genuinely, wanting them to see me smile before I most likely die in the arena.

Just as the door slammed. My smile sagged, my eyes start to tear up. My family. I'll never see them again. I'll never see their smiles and I'll never hear their laughs again. I feel my legs go weak but before it did, two pairs of arms lift me up and I see the familiar two pairs of green eyes. "Mollie, Tyler" I hug them. My tears flowed and my tears dripped onto their shirts.

"Lexi, stop crying!" Tyler shouts. I jump, taken by his serious tone of voice he never uses "You have to win" I stare at both of them. Mollie looks sad but she had a hint of determination in her eyes, while Tyler looked serious and he looked at me like he really wanted me to believe.

But believe what? That I could win?

"What?" Suddenly I'm angry "I can't win! No one ever wins from our district!"

"Yes, you can! You're smart and you know how to use a knife!" He responds.

It was like we were arguing like normal but this was more serious than the playfulness in our other arguments.

"I'm not strong!"

Mollie intervenes "You are! You can kill a cow and not care a bit!"

"But this isn't the games for killing cows! It's the games for killing people!" I yell. Hoping they would just believe I can't win.

"The games are either you kill or be killed! And I know you'll survive!" Tyler says, taking my shoulders. Looking into my eyes with a emotion I couldn't decipher. "We don't want to lose you!"

"You've seen your mother die." Mollie says. I look at her as the image of my mothers smile came to my mind but then faded into oblivion. "You shouldn't let your family go through that again" I think of the tears of my family and the way my father screamed at night before I came in and calmed him down. The way he dreamt of my mother dying in his hands over and over again. I don't want that to happen again. Especially now that it could happen to my brother and sister.

"You really think I could win?"

They nod enthusiastically, relieved I'm starting to believe them.

"I'll try" I say before they were dragged out with the last bit of information "We'll look after Katniss!"

I'm not entirely convinced but I know if I try, I'll have a chance.

I will win.

For my family and for my friends.

* * *

Okay, I know I didn't get far but I'm planning to get to the tribute parade next chapter.

Don't judge for any grammar mistakes or missing words. I do that a lot.

:(

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	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own the hunger games

If anyone is wondering... Finnick will appear in this part of Alexis's story but he doesn't get that much time with Alexis until the next part of the story. Which hopefully I'll get done by the next month. If I'm not locked down by other things.

Also, thank you Irene M. Lane, Lelleg, ZappedOfOriginality and Adricullenhale for following. And thank you Libb23 for favouriting, following and Reviewing!

* * *

A couple of minutes ago, I was crying. Crying because I thought I was going to lose, but my friends, Mollie and Tyler convinced me otherwise. I know I can win, if I try.

But I can't try when my eyes are red and puffy from the crying. This gives up off the image of being weak to the Capitol and the other tributes.

Judging from the other years of tributes, I might have to make a persona for myself for when I get on the stage, but I'll think about that later. The peacekeepers are already taking me to the truck that drives you to the train station.

I noticed that Roland hadn't been crying like I was but he still looked sad like he was earlier. Like he wants to cry but he can't.

Baxtin who sat between us, started sprouting off about the capital and how much we would love it. I wondered if other escorts were like this, talkative and annoying.

There's camera's when we get out of the truck. This is what I was talking about, I can still feel that my eyes were red and puffy, and now everyone is going to think I'm weak.

Maybe it's better like that. Being weak and someone who wouldn't win. It would be a surprised for the Capitol if I kill people and win. Yeah, being weak would be a smart move and then kill your way out when it comes to the last eight or something. I don't think I would be able to do that. Maybe I should just suggest that to someone else. Yeah, I'll do that.

I glare at the cameras when I go past. It'll be nice if I had gotten a book on what gestures people make when they are angry at someone. I pretty sure there is but I haven't come across anyone who uses it. Maybe even a sign language book would be nice at the moment, but I just turn away with a sigh and look straight ahead to the train. There's no use showing your disgust with the Capitol, it always ends up bad.

* * *

My mouth waters at the amount of different foods on the table.

My family is usually well fed but judging by the colours and richness of this food, I feel like I'm about to go to heaven with all the new food and taste.

I can see Roland is feeling the same as me, we both sat down quickly, but we both ignored the eagerness to eat when we caught Baxtin, who was already sitting down, look at us with a look that can only say that he thinks we're pigs but you can also see the surprise and delight when we don't dig in.

"Oh, this is a good pair!" He states excitedly. I raise my eyebrows, I'm guessing no other tributes besides us haven't given into the food as first sight.

I grinned, speaking for the first time to Baxtin "So you like our table manners?" He nodded enthusiastically.

Then I dig in, stuffing my mouth, and winking at him before swallowing and saying "Don't get used to it"

He frowns while Roland smiles at me but he turns away straight away when I looked at him.

He probably still thinks I hate him. I'll fix that up, if I can later.

* * *

When I meet Aurora, she still looks just as tired as she did when she was at the reaping.

I heard she has an addiction to sleeping pills.

"Hi" I say when she comes into the room where me, Baxtin and Roland were still eating. Well Baxtin is, me and Roland have no idea what to do now so we stayed.

She looked at us and slumped on the chair next to Baxtin.

"Hello" she replies, looking at me with her tired brown eyes.

Other than the fact that she has an addiction to sleeping pills. I only know that she won the 41st annual hunger games and she was seventeen when she won.

Despite her age being forty-two or three. She looked like she was thirty.

"Anything we should know before we go into the games that televise our death?" I say with the obvious tint of bitterness to it. I'm still going for the win but I know going into the games with full confidence could blind me to some things.

She sighs and looked at Roland who hasn't spoken at all since he got reaped then to me.

"Don't die at the bloodbath" she says simply.

"That helps a lot" I say sarcastically before Roland finally spoke up.

"How would we survive if we don't get the supplies in the cornucopia?"

That's a good question, most people do die at the cornucopia because they want the supplies, but if they didn't they die quickly from starvation, the environment and the careers.

Aurora considers this as well "Depends on what you can do"

Roland was opening his mouth to reply but Baxtin interrupted him.

"You can talk about this later. We need to watch the reaping's from the other districts".

Oh right, we have competition, I almost forgot that.

We get up from the table, all curious of the other tributes, and sit down on the couches in front of the television in another compartment.

It started from District 1 and 2. Both pair of tributes volunteers for the games. No surprise there. A pretty interesting guy tribute from district 4 who volunteered in place of a younger boy. A masculine guy from 7.

Then it comes to us, it's weird seeing my face, the anger is obvious on if and the commentators had commented on it and said it was pretty interesting.

Aurora glanced at me when she saw it but I didn't see her expression since Roland came up. Looking almost shell shocked. They even zoomed in on my glare. "Ohhh, this girl is seriously angry!" Commented the commentators.

I blushed a little when I felt the stares of everyone.

"I was angry" I confessed and looked at Roland "but not at you. Not anymore" I said slowly so he got my words. He nodded with a mute expression.

They went on to district 11 who produced a tanned boy who looked sixteen or seventeen and fourteen year old dark girl with black curls. The district 12 tributes looked the same as every other year, filthy and skinny, but almost every other year, Haymitch Abernathy made a scene. This time with falling off his chair and spilling his drink everywhere.

If I ever meet him, I really need to become his friend. He seems cool.

* * *

After watching the reaping, we all headed off to our own compartments with our beds. Mine and Roland's were next each other, I made this moment, the moment of saying sorry for everything.

We silently walked down the hallway and just as he was about to turn off into his room, I took his wrist.

He looked quizzically at me. I could also see the slight fear in his eyes.

I frowned "I don't blame you" I said, hoping he knew what I was saying and letting go of his wrist "what's the point of blaming you when it wasn't you"

He knew what I was talking about, I could tell by his expression "I'm sorry for your loss" he said back to me "and I forgive you"

He forgives me for glaring him whenever I saw him and making my sister trip him. He is also sorry for my mother's death. I wonder how long he's wanted to say that to me.

I smile

"thank you"

* * *

It feels unnatural when I wake up to a metal ceiling and the comfort of a bed that is softer than usual.

It's even more unnatural when I shower myself. It's warmer than the usual.

But to top it all, the clothes I put on is different from the usual.

I look different when I see myself in the mirror. More clean and my long hair doesn't look as dark brown as it used to be, now it's more brunette and lighter.

At least if I die, I'll die knowing how clean I could be.

Everyone is already at the table when I get there.

"Good morning" Baxtin says with his capital flawlessly showing. I resist the urge to mock it.

"Howdy" I say instead. Leaning to the district 10 accent in my voice. Which sounds like a cowboy and a Mexican mixed together.

Baxtin smiles and continues to eat without realising I was teasing him. Aurora and Roland laugh a little when I silently made an innocent face towards their unimpressed faces.

"So what are we talking about?" I say, piling food on my plate.

"She was asking what I can do" Roland says

"What can you do?" I reply and take a bite from a pancake that I smothered in maple syrup.

"That's a secret" Roland says lifting his finger to his lips.

I raise my eyebrows at his friendliness "alright, well I don't mind you knowing what I can do"

"You can do something?" Aurora asks more curiously than anything else.

"Yeah,-" I start

"She butchers for her family" Roland finishes.

I look at him oddly. How come he knows about me but I don't know anything about him. Well except for the fact he takes care of horses.

"How did you know that?" I say

"Secret" he smirked at me.

I smile, I hope by his friendliness, he truly has forgiven me.

"You know, it's bad holding too many secrets, you should share them" I playfully say.

He widely smiles "I'll think about it"

I laugh and turn back to Aurora, who had been silently listening to our conversation.

She looked between us like she was trying to figure something out.

But with a shake with her head, she turned to me.

"I thought only people over eighteen could butcher"

"Desperate measures call for desperate things" I say back.

Usually only people over eighteen could butcher because people of the district thought we shouldn't go through the procedure of killing cows until we're of age.

That's why my siblings and me couldn't witness it until I took that dare and since I was very calm about it. My dad tested me on it.

This was the reason why I wondered how Roland knew, only the Coatrian's and my family know.

"Okay, whatever" Aurora said in understanding "so I'm guessing you're good with a knife?"

"Yeah, I can't throw them but I know where to stab where it hurts" I state with a grin then add "and I'm weirdly alright with blood"

I didn't add that it might not be true with human blood.

Aurora nods, smiling a little "interesting" she comments when she looked between us "you both might have a chance if you don't get killed at the start"

I proudly smile.

"Oh look! We're here!" Baxtin exclaimed looking out of the window of the train which shows the famous mother city of Panem, The Capitol.

It's about to begin.

* * *

Hey there, I know I said I would get to the tribute parade.

I'll get there next chapter!

Hopefully.


	6. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own the hunger games. If I did, I'd be Satan.

* * *

The crowds of the colourful Capitol waved back at me through the window. If I want to survive, I guess I'll have to make the Capitol like me but sitting down, refusing to wave like Roland, isn't very likeable.

I step away from the window when we enter the station.

"You know, it's respectful to wave to people who want to see you" I say in a matter of fact tone to Roland.

"I'm not being friendly towards people who enjoy seeing children die" Roland replies as we walk out to the station.

I roll my eyes "I would be friendly to people who could save you in the arena"

Since he's walking in front of me, he turns his head and glares at me "You can survive without them"

"You never know" I argue back "you could get poisoned and if some rich person likes you, they'll send you an antidote"

Roland glares at me again

"She's right" Aurora says "but you can continue this argument later, you need to go get pretty now"

Does she mean getting ready for the tribute parade?

Before I could ask that, I was taken away from them by a peacekeeper.

Well isn't this going to be fun...

* * *

"There's even blood in her ear!" Squeals Yulia, one of the members of my prep team with very spotty skin says. She's like a Dalmatian.

They looked at me oddly but I just shrugged, avoiding contact with their eyes so I don't become a giggling mess. They are all too funny looking to not laugh at.

Every Capitol citizen looks funny, I remember my family and the Coatrian's all teasing their looks and hilarious outfits. You'll never not be amused by their fashion.

They all sigh in relief when they finish cleaning me and ripping out my body hair. "Now she's beautiful!" Comments a jumping Santhe, who has a Mohawk as her choice of hairstyle.

I smile at her. If you look around their odd choice of fashion. My prep is actually really cute. Dalmatian skin, Mohawks and even Gadge's odd spiky beard. It doesn't matter, their personalities are adorable and I'm already starting to like them.

"She's going to look great in her dress!" Gadge excitedly said. He then got me up "Let's go introduce you to your stylist!" He said, wrapping me in a dress robe and gently escorting me to a door.

"He's in there!" Yulia says while Gadge opens the door for me.

"We can't go in with you though" Santhe says with a pout.

"But we'll see you later!" Gadge says, now pushing me in.

"Oh, alright! Thank you!" I say quickly before they slammed the door, leaving me standing there naked, only covered by a dress robe.

"Hello" I hear from behind me.

I turn around, greeted with a room that has a window covering one side of it ,and only two armchairs and a table.

The window has the view of the Capitol. It's actually pretty. It's the sight you don't see on television. The skyscrapers then the view of the forest and mountains on the outskirts.

I look over towards where the voice was. He was sitting at one of the armchairs, looking at me with a smile. He didn't look harmful. He was like another Gadge, but without the spiky beard. This guy has tattoos all over his body, but he still has the colourful Capitol vibe going on with his red shirt that has a pattern that looks like scales but other than that, he looked normal.

"Hi" I say walking towards him and sitting on the arm chair across from him.

"I'm Aldar, your stylist" he says with a toothy smile

"Alexis" I say with a small smile.

"You know, you don't look that angry now compared to when you were on cameras" he says with a teasing tone.

I sigh and unconsciously smooth my hair back out of my face.

"I got over it" I say simply looking up to him

"It?"

"I got over that I was picked out of a thousand children" I answer. Somehow already not minding him and his questions. He just talks too much like I'm his old friend. He talks like Mollie, I guess.

"That's an interesting thing to get angry about" he chuckles

I grin "I'm an odd person"

He nods with a smile "Yes, and now I'm going to dress you into an odd costume"

"Oh no" I say instantly, semi sarcastic, semi dreading.

I think of the cow outfits and the usual overly exposed cowboy outfits. The stylists usually dressed the district 10 tributes into for their tribute parade.

"Oh no, indeed" he says, his eyes sparkling in mischief.

I look at him in horror.

Don't tell me he's giving me an overly exposed cowboy outfit.

* * *

Okay, this outfit is way better than the overly exposed cowboy outfit I imagined.

Aldar dressed me up in a brown leather puffed up dress. Horse hair as a cape and boots which are covered with chicken feathers.

I was dressed with the coats of the animals from district 10.

I didn't look bad, not even silly like the rest of the years before me. Aldar and Glide must have seen potential in me and Roland to be actually dressing us up differently from anyone else before us.

My hair was spread on my right shoulder. Feathery pattern on the left side of my head, but it was more like they fish braided it going to my right side and sprayed it a lighter brown colour on the edges of the fish braids, making it look like feathers.

"They look beautiful, Santhe" I say to Santhe who was showing me my hair in the mirror.

"It was Aldar's design" She smiled brightly "and I think it's beautiful as well!"

"This year, he finally gave us something new to work on" commented Yuila as she was doing my nails.

"You know I'm right here" Aldar said from his seat beside the large mirror that's from the side of me.

We all laugh.

"You love it, don't deny it" I say, smiling from the laughter.

"You're right, I do" he said winking towards me.

* * *

By the time I get down to the ground floor of the tribute center, which I found out, was where I was stuck the whole time until the games.

Every other tribute was down there, getting their last finishing touches.

Roland was there as well, wearing the male version of my outfit, he even had the same eye makeup.

"Howdy, partner" I say in the usual district 10 accent when I reach him.

He laughs "Howdy" he says back before turning back to Glide who was re-pinning his horse hair cape on his leather jumpsuit.

I turn towards Aldar, who was standing behind me "Got to adjust anything?"

He shook his head "No, you're perfect"

I smile in thanks then start to observe the rest of the room.

All the tributes are stuck to their horses.

You can see who's from what district by their costumes. District 12 with their coal miner suits and pickaxes. District 7 looking like trees. District 2 actually having weapons.

My district is the only one really different from the last years.

I spot Aurora who was casually chatting with other mentors on the side of the hall.

Haymitch Abernathy was there. I still want to be friends with him.

Even the victor from last years hunger games is there. Finnick Odair. He looked almost awkward being there as well, being the youngest but then there was the fact that all of them have the same aura.

Victor of the hunger games.

They all had marks and scars.

You can see them from a distance, how much the Games effected them.

They all seem wary and cautious.

I wonder, if I won the hunger games, what scars I would have.

"It's almost time for the parade to start" Aldar says from beside me.

I nod, turning away from the mentors.

Stepping on the carriage. Roland stepping on afterwards.

"What should we do?" I ask Aldar and Glide.

"Smile and wave to the crowds" Said the tired voice of Aurora as she stopped walking towards them with Baxtin and stood in front of them.

I didn't even notice the absence of Baxtin.

"oh! This is lovely!" Baxtin says delighted as he looked over our costumes. "You look stunning and almost fierce" he compliments before adding "It's like your from a tribe!"

Rebels. I think instantly.

"It was all our stylists" I say

"But you are the models that make our designs great" says Glide.

"Thanks, Glide" Says Roland while I just smile genuinely at her.

"It's show time!" Squeals Baxtin, jumping on the spot.

He was right, because district 1 was being pulled away to where the population of the Capitol was.

Me and Roland both wave to our stylists, mentor and escort as they move away to leave us for the parade.

"So just smile and wave?" Roland asks me as we started to move forward.

"Yeah" I confirm, glancing to the side at him, meeting his worried gaze.

"They'll love us" I say reassuringly.

He nods "Thanks"

Then we were in view of the Capitol.

Roars, cheers and screams surrounded us. I wouldn't be surprised if I become deaf after this; and if I think that this is the loudest they could be. I'm kidding myself because as soon as they catch sight of me and Roland.

I know I will be deaf after this.

I wave and smile at them, like I was told. It was surprisingly easy to do so.

I could see myself on a screen, I really do look fierce and I definitely look like I'm from a tribe.

That's when I see the roses being thrown my way. I catch one. I look at it for a second before cuddling it and smiling the general direction it came from.

I smile at Roland when our eyes meet again. Then we go back to waving and smiling.

Until we slow down and stop in front of President Snow's mansion.

President Snow does the official welcome to the hunger games from above us.

I observe him. He doesn't look trustworthy at all.

I end up throwing away my smile and glare up at him.

He finishes and the anthem starts.

We start to move again and we circle around before making our way back to the tribute center.

* * *

"You were amazing" Baxtin squeals as we eat dinner afterwards.

"My cheeks hurt from smiling so much" I say, rubbing my cheeks before eating some of my meal.

"I feel the same" Roland says with a sigh.

"It'll heal by tomorrow" Aurora explained "and you'll get used to all the smiling, don't worry"

I nod "if you say so" then get up from the table

"I'm going to bed" I stated, moving away from the table.

Roland gets up from the table "Hey! Wait up!" he called, jogging over to me "I'm going to bed too"

I raise my eyebrows wondering why he was coming with me but I shrug

"alright"

"Good night, and remember your training starts tomorrow" Aurora reminded from the table.

I wave to her, acknowledging that I know and I walk into the hall way which has mine and Roland's room.

"Do you think either of us are going to win?" Roland suddenly asks in our silence.

I stop and look at him.

He looked worried and scared, like the way he did before we went out into the view of the Capitol.

He's two years older than me, but he seems younger than me in this moment.

I softly smile at him "only if you believe" I whisper to him before retiring to my room.

I said the same words, Tyler and Mollie used to convince me that I can win. Well at that moment it was mainly Tyler, but Mollie finished it off.

I smile when I think of them.

I hope I will see them again.

* * *

ANOTHER CHAPTER YAYYYYY.

NEXT ONE! TRAINING AND MAYBE MEETING THE OTHER TRIBUTES PROPERLY!

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	7. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I sadly do not own the hunger games. If I did, Finnick would be alive and happily living with Annie and their child.

I would like to thank Daisy96 for following and RedPlanetGalaxy for favouriting and following!

Thank you guys, I reallllyyy do appreciate it!

* * *

I found it funny that once again, Roland and I were twins.

We both wore our training outfits which looks surprisingly like normal clothes. The conditions for our arena must not be that humid or anything.

I don't know if that's a good thing or not.

"Do you want to train separately?" Aurora asks in her tired voice.

We look unsure at each other. Both catching what we thought of it and turned back to Aurora.

"No, we'll train together" he says.

"Alright" she says eying us. Thinking about something.

Probably thinking about something along the lines; is something happening between them or that we shouldn't get so close as we might actually have to kill each other.

I know that we might kill each other, and I really hope I don't have to kill him and I hope someone else does it, because even if I hated him three days ago, I don't think I can do it now. He's growing on me.

"Anyway, shouldn't we go?" I spoke, getting up from the table.

"Yes!" Beamed Baxtin, who was now getting up from the table

"Don't show off your skills, practice everything else but your knife skills"

Aurora said looking pointedly at me before her eyes moves to Roland "And your bow and arrow skills"

"You can use a bow?" I say immediately as it came in my head to Roland. "Yeah, my dad taught me" he smiled, proud of himself.

"You good?"

"I guess so, I can shoot an arrow into my target when I'm on a moving horse" he informed me.

My eyes widen from shock "On a horse?" I smile widely "You must be good"

He smiles "Thanks"

"Anyway, stay away from those stations" Aurora said, cutting in.

"Okay" we both say, walking towards the door that leads to the elevator.

As soon as we are in the elevator, Baxtin quickly spoke "Now we're supposed to be there at ten but now, it's half past nine" we nod as Baxtin explains "most tributes will already be there, so don't worry. Once you get in there they'll pin your numbers on your back and you'll join the circle where you'll be explained what stations there are"

The elevator doors open.

Baxtin was right almost everyone was there, but fortunately, me and Roland were the fourth last pair to arrive.

"Have fun" Baxtin chimed when me and Roland step off the elevator.

We nod silently to him.

Okay, I am a little scared to face the rest of the tributes.

Once the number ten got pinned on our back, we both went forward to the circle of tributes where everyone was silently observing each other, making the whole circle tense.

I glance at Roland, who was looking anywhere but the rest of the tributes without any clear expression that he's scared or anything. He just looked like he didn't want to be there.

I on the other hand, did look at the rest of the tributes. 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 and 11 were all there, meaning 3, 6 and 12 were still to arrive.

The career tributes were all looking around at us with a smug look and all had that over confident vibe coming from them. Typical careers.

They probably think, that one of them will continue on the winning streak that the careers have made in the last four games.

They won't.

Not this year. They are being too smug about it.

As I'm observing the careers, I noticed that district 12 and 3 had entered. I also noticed the amount of looks both me and Roland were getting.

Must be because of the tribute parade. We actually got more screen time than any other pair. Baxtin was delighted about it, he couldn't shut up about how lucky he was to finally get a pair that could actually win afterwards.

As soon at district 6 arrived, a woman who looked very fit and athletic started to explain to us what type of stations there is available and that we cannot engage in a fight with any other tribute "There will be plenty of time for that in the arena" she stated. I had to suppress a scoff for that. 'There will be plenty of time for the careers to kill you off, you mean' I thought.

She started listing off the stations. This was when I started to look around the training room. There was a bunch of equipment, targets and obstacles set up, every single one of them had a person standing beside it to assist us, if we needed it. Then I saw a room above us that overlooked the whole training room.

The Gamemakers.

I study them. They were all looking over us on what looks like very comfortable chairs. They also all looked untrustworthy, like President Snow.

Well I thought that until, I caught one looking at me. He stood next to a bowl of punch. He didn't have a look that the rest of the Gamemakers had. His looks were more friendly but somehow he looks concerned as well.

Like he doesn't want to see us all die.

He's trustworthy.

I tilt my head to the side in curiosity towards him, trying to convey the message of 'why are you looking at me'

He actually copied my actions afterwards with an amused smile. 'I'm a Gamemaker, of course I will look at you'

Well, this is weird. I'm creating a relationship with a Gamemaker from afar.

I roll my eyes with a smile and look back at the woman, who was listing off the survival stations.

Since I'm supposed to clear off knife activities.

I'll start with the fire station or even camouflage.

When she finishes and instructs us to go off. I turn to Roland who does the same "what are you doing first?" I whisper so the rest of the tributes don't hear.

"I might go learn how to tie a knot" he responds with a shrug.

"You joining?" He adds.

"No, I think it's better if we join up later" I say. Considering most pairs have stuck together.

He nods "later then"

We both separate and move off. Him going to the knot tying station and myself, going to the fire station.

I smile at the assistant as I got there and she started to teach me how to light a fire.

"Can I join?" Says an almost husky voice, I turn to see the district 11 male tribute. I don't know his name.

I shrug and the assistant started to teach him as well.

As soon as she left us alone and did her own thing. He spoke up.

"That was a good entrance yesterday in the parade" he says, still trying to the light the fire with his stick.

I act cautious. Unlike the Capitol citizens like my prep team and my stylist, I don't think I can quickly start to like this person.

"Thanks" I responded.

"I thought for a moment that you and your tribute partner were representing something more than just your district"

I look up at him when he says that.

Then I remember my thoughts when Baxtin said about my costume being tribal. I thought 'Rebels', I didn't really know why I thought that. I had thought about it last night before I slept. I had come to the conclusion, that I just looked like I would rebel, if you got on my wrong side.

"That's what made me want to trust you" he says, meeting my stare.

"Trust me? Like you want an alliance or something?" I ask, getting confused on why he would trust me so easily.

That was when it hit me. He must hate the games and because of my costume having a small amount of rebellion to it. He assumed that I thought the same.

Which I do but not to an extreme like most people.

I just think the whole thing is stupid and silly.

He shrugs, getting back to his fire "If you survive the blood bath. I want an alliance."

I nod in understanding and get to my fire, which is finally starting to work.

Alliances sounds like a good idea, but in the end, you'll still have to kill each other.

"I'll think about it" I say.

"Fair enough and your tribute partner can join as well"

"Okay, I'll tell him" I say, lighting my fire.

"I'm Alexis, by the way" I add getting up, done with the task of lighting a fire.

He looks at my fire then looks up at me "August"

"It was nice to meet you, August" I say, walking to the station where you learn about the type of plants that could be in the arena.

While walking to the station, I look up to where the Gamemakers are. That one Gamemaker was still looking at me but once I met his gaze, he slowly moved to where the careers are.

The careers were all laughing and throwing spears into the training dummies. They were pretty good at it especially district 2's male and it looks like all of them have teamed up. It looks like the career pack are together this year like every other year. Even if sometimes, district 4 doesn't join them.

I think about how to defeat them. You can either keep away from them, but most people are dragged to them by the nature, obviously done by the people above us; or we give them an equal amount of force.

Another alliance.

I look over at August whose now walking over towards his district partner who is at the climbing station.

I think I will accept his offer for an alliance; I glance over where Roland is still trying to tie knots, but I'll ask Roland before doing so.

* * *

I'd say I know my basis of the plants now and I'm also sure I know almost every tributes name.

I had been learning about plants for over three hours now and in the mist of that, I've been catching the names of almost everyone.

The male and female tributes from the careers was easy to catch.

Flicker, Lustra from district 1. Iren, Agrippina from district 2. Nile, Marina from district 4.

Out of all of them, Nile seems the most hesitant to show off his skills. He keeps on looking around at all of the other tributes.

I remember that he had volunteered instead of a twelve year old boy. So I guess, he has some humanity in him compared to the other careers.

I also heard district 5's tributes names, when I focused on them cause I saw August talking to them. Max and Elesa.

I had got the male tributes names from district 3, 7 and 8. Volt, Carter, Denim.

Then there was Theo and Niobe from district 12.

The rest of the tributes was too quiet for me to get.

It was now that Roland comes over and joins in with me on the plant station.

"You should try the knot tying station" he says "the guy there looked real excited to have me there"

"I will when I pass the test for edible plants here" I inform him.

The assistant here had been helping me out and after a bit she would test me. I haven't been doing to well but the assistant was very nice about it and continued to teach me.

"You've been on this for a couple of hours. I thought you were smarter than that" he said, teasing me but actually sounded curious.

"You don't learn things straight away, it's the repetition of the things that makes you learn" I say, glaring at him. "Plus, I was also busy eavesdropping and finding out the names of the rest of the tributes"

"You didn't listen when we watched the reaping's?"

I look at him with my 'are you serious' look "Did you?"

He laughs, shaking his head "Good point"

I ask to take the test again, after taking time looking over every plant. Roland does as well.

"So whose names did you find out?" I asked after a while into the test.

"The careers, both of the tributes from 5 and 12, and male tributes from 3, 7, 8 and 11"

"So fourteen out of twenty-two" counted up Roland then he added "nice eavesdropping"

I grin "thanks" then I frown "I got one wrong"

Roland peers over "Nightlock Berries"

I sigh, frustrated "I always get that one wrong. They look just like normal blueberries"

He looks at his results and smiles "don't worry, if you don't know the difference. I do" pointing to his screen which said he got everything right.

"How? You literally just got here"

He smiles wider "I go hunting with my brothers all the time. I know my plants"

"From going out into the forest so much?" I ask which he nods too.

"That's cool" I remark, almost guiltily.

I really don't know anything about him. Why did I ever hate him. It makes me feel stupid, knowing my number one rule, isn't to judge people based on what other people say, and in this case. I hated him because his family made a deal with my mother to tame a horse which killed her. A horse they got from the Capitol. It was the Capitol's fault that a crazy horse had come to our district.

But I blamed him for it.

He seemed to have noticed my expression and caught my hand, knowing exactly why I was feeling guilty "I forgive you. It's not your fault, you were only six. You had to blame someone"

I nod, sighing "I know but, I really shouldn't of."

He let go of my hand "let's just go to the knot tying station"

I see the need of his eyes to stop talking about something so depressing. I get it.

Our days are limited. He would rather fill them with good memories.

"Okay"

* * *

By the end of the three days of training. Me and Roland had ventured to every station but the knife and archery stations.

We accepted August's offer of alliance, after a long discussion at the camouflage station.

We had become friends with August and his tribute partner, Georgia who was actually sweet. She had made me a flower crown at the plant station and helped me learn how to climb. Which I failed at so much but I finally got the hang of it, and now I'm alright at it. Just a bit slow.

Our alliance actually grew, bringing in the tributes from 5, 7 and 12, but we didn't make it obvious that all of us were an alliance. The only thing that indicated that we were an alliance was that me, Roland, August and Georgia all sit with each other at lunch.

Aurora and district 11's mentor, Chaff joined us at times. Chaff is actually fun to talk to.

I talked to him more than the rest of them. Mostly because he talks a lot and I talk a lot, so we ended up talking a lot together.

I also found out that August and Theo from District 12 are natural's in fighting.

Apparently Theo had fought a lot at district 12 because he has a short temper. He also apparently loved how I was angry at the reaping. I had laughed when he told me. He liked me even more when I told him why I was angry.

While August is the more of leader type of guy and quite serious; but he makes it with his skills with a sword. Which I'm actually good at doing as well. Knife skills paid off in that section.

Now we're waiting for our names to be called out for our assessment.

I already know what I'm doing, which is doing fancy tricks with a knife and carving into wood to make a small horse. I had seen blocks of wood at the knife station and the fire station , so I was going for it.

As soon as the district nine girl had left for her assessment. Theo groaned "Why do we have to be the last district?" I laugh along with everyone else. Somehow, we all got along, despite only knowing each other for three days.

"We'll you wouldn't if district 13 was still around" Roland says. I nod, it's the truth.

"But sadly they have been blown up" I say

"Actually, I think they are still there" Georgia spoke up.

We all look at her like she had no idea what she was saying.

She looks at us then shrugs "it's just, my family thinks so."

"Why?" Niobe quietly says. We look at Niobe then back at Georgia, wanting a answer.

"Every time they play the video of district 13's ruins to remind us. There is always a mockingjay wing in the corner of the video, every single year" she answers.

"But you know, it could just be because it's already been covered by the nature. It has been sixty-six years since district 13 was blown up" Roland says.

"No," I say "they would still show it either way"

Georgia smiles at me "do you believe me?"

I shrug "You could be right."

"But if that's true, why haven't they shown themselves?" Theo growled. He believed her but he looked pissed that they haven't done anything.

We all shrug and Roland was called up "Maybe they are waiting for something"

We all watch him as he walked through the doors to the training rooms.

"Like what?" Niobe whispers.

"Who knows" I answer

* * *

Lalalalala. This chapter almost went to 3000 words.

Sorry people who don't like how long stuff are xD

But you can deal with it!

Next chapter; interviews! Ahhhh! And maybe something extra ;)

(Also I'm not showing what she did in the assessment. Just the score xD)

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	8. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: The Hunger Games is not mine.

This is officially the most chapters I've written for a fanfiction in my 15 years of living.

Yay to me!

okay enough about me xD

Thank you to Nathy13 and Tigerlilli for Following! And thank you and Voidwolxves for following and favouriting!

Thanks guys!

* * *

I got a nine.

Pretty good for someone that's not a career.

But I wasn't the only one.

Roland had got a ten. He had gotten the target right in the heart, he had informed us.

So of course they gave him a good score.

Then August and Theo had got ten as well.

When I saw those, I felt relief in knowing that I chose good teammates.

Georgia had got eight while Niobe got seven.

I can just imagine people at home screaming that they might win this year.

People in the Capitol are apparently in desperate need to know who we are, says Baxtin. While Aurora says that the careers are shocked by the scores.

None of us showed off our skills, so of course, they are shocked.

I couldn't help but feel proud by my score.

I had just walked in there, heading straight to the knife station and picked up a small knife.

I had tested it out before looking up at the Gamemakers. They looked interested, instead of being bored which would've been expected since they witnessed twenty-one tributes before me, but they didn't.

Must of been Roland which perked their interests.

"Alexis Lumbrage, District 10"

I say loudly to them.

The head gamemaker nodded and spoke "Begin"

That's when I had smirked and picked up a block of wood.

Looking up at them before starting to carve the wood in a horse.

I did it fast and it was a perfectly neat horse.

That's probably what made the Gamemakers give me a nine.

They obviously didn't give me a nine for my fancy spinning and twirling of the knife.

I remember when I left, the Gamemaker that I had eye conversations with. Winking at me before whispering something into the head Gamemakers ear.

I really need to have a proper conversation with this guy, he may have been the reason I got that score and he also seems like a great guy. So, of course I want to actually talk to him.

But presently, that won't happen, cause I think I might die from the fact I'm wearing heels.

"Why can't I just wear sandals or something?!" I exclaimed, glaring at Baxtin.

Who shook his head "Aldar's dress for you tonight is with heels not sandals!"

I whine "but it hurts my feet!"

"You'll get used to it"

"But you're a guy, you can't understand!"

"Your right, I'm a guy but who says I haven't worn heels" he responds

I open my mouth to reply but I close it.

He's right.

"Fine"

Then I continue walking with my heels and the dress until I finally am able to walk in the heels without tripping, but then he starts making me sit down.

I don't know how much I've fallen out of the chair but I remember Baxtin saying "You're so terrible at this! You're lucky you have your good looks to cover how terrible you walk and sit!"

* * *

By the end of the training session. I swear I can't walk normally for days without having to lift my heels so it feels comfortable.

Why do I even have to look good for interviews! I'm just going to look terrible in the games!

When we walk out of the room we were practicing in to go to lunch.

I swear I want to slap that smile off Baxtin's face.

Once we sit down at the table which was occupied by Aurora and Roland.

I get a sympathetic look from Aurora. She knows the pain of heels, thank god I have someone who understands.

Roland just looked concerned for me. I say I'm alright and that he should be glad that he's not a girl, which he quickly agrees on.

"You know, it's good that your beautiful. If you fall, I'm sure the Capitol would swoon over you" he says with a quiet laugh.

"That's exactly what I said!" Baxtin said loudly.

"Yeah, yeah. If you guys say so" I say with a roll of my eyes.

"It's true!" Baxtin laughed.

I know I'm alright, but I don't think I'm that beautiful. It's just the makeup makes me beautiful. Nothing else.

I glance at Aurora who had been silent.

She looked at me with a sad expression. I ponder why she's looking at me like that.

"What's up?" I say at her

"It's nothing" she says, sadness evident in her voice.

I was about to insist on why but she cut in, knowing I was about to annoy her.

"it's just unfortunate, you were blessed with your looks" she spoke.

"Why?" I ask, already starting to worry on why.

She sighs "you'll figure it out"

Figure what out? Why is my looks unfortunate?

"It doesn't mix well with the Capitol, if you won" she hints.

It has something to do with if I won. So if I won, I get to move into a new house. My family wouldn't have to worry about working anymore. I would be mentoring the next years tributes. I'd be visiting the Capitol every year. I'll have to show myself to the Capitol. The Capitol would want to know me personally. In every way...

I look up at her.

I hope it's not what I think.

Her looks at me confirms it.

"I won't do it" I say, trying to hide my horror in realising what she was saying.

She sighs. "We should go start your lesson" she gets up from the table.

I slowly get up.

Peering at the boys expressions. I could tell Baxtin had no idea, what she was speculating but it looks like Roland figured it out. He didn't look happy at all, he looked at me when he saw that I was looking at him and he frowned at me, like he was cursing my looks.

But the thing is..

If Roland won, he would be in risk of the same fate.

He is good looking as well.

* * *

"Okay, I'm here to teach you how to hold yourself in public's eye" Aurora spoke in her tired voice, tossing the tension from our last conversation away.

"I know" I say, I had already guessed that.

"What kind of personality would work most effectively for you..." Aurora mumbled, talking to her self.

"Judging from what I know. You can be bubbly, a flirt, funny or clumsy. You pick" She says, after deciding to let me choose.

I shrug "I can just be myself"

She shakes her head immediately "no, you need to cling to a personality"

"Why?" I ask but I already know the answer. I could be different after the games.

She ignores my question "I suggest you be bubbly and clumsy. Roland is going to be shy and adorable. It will be a pair that fit together so well" she says but adding "plus, I think it will be a surprise to the Capitol to find out that you aren't actually an angry girl as they think at the moment"

Wow, from a moment of thinking. She really has the perfect personalities for us to pose as.

She really is helping us

"Alright, I'll do it"

* * *

"They are going to love you!" Giggled Santhe.

"Absolutely stunning" Gadge comments.

"Breathtaking" Viola sighs, satisfied by her work.

"Flawless" Santhe says, continuing her squeals of delight.

Gadge was about to say something but I cut in.

"Stop!" I pout

"Your making me uncomfortable with your compliments"

I've been getting way too many compliments in the last two days and it's starting to take a toll on me. Now that I realise how much I will be desired by the Capitol, if I won.

"But you do look beautiful in my dress" Aldar says

"And I thank you for that but all these compliments is making me uncomfortable"

"Look!" Santhe says, guiding me to the mirror.

I do look breathtaking. I forgot how to breathe when I saw my dress.

It's golden and it goes do my knees, revealing lovely light brown leathered heel boots that reached a quarter up my shin. My hair is up and sided to my left side in curls.

I look pure and beautiful.

"Thank you, Aldar"

I turn and give him a hug

"For making me look beautiful"

He returns the hug "It was my pleasure" he smiles.

"Now let's show the Capitol, who Alexis Lumbrage is"

* * *

"Wow" says Roland as soon as I entered the elevator

"I know right" I say back with a smile and scan him "don't look so bad yourself"

He laughs. He was wearing a plain tux with a golden glow to it and his usual thick dark brown hair was gelled to one side, "Thank you" he says.

We start to go down the elevator.

Baxtin laughs at our conversation while Aurora just smiles. While both of our prep teams and stylists grin proudly.

Once we got down to the stage. Tributes were getting in line to go up to the stage.

I breathe in and out when I get out of the elevator with everyone else.

Aldar and Glide move off with a wave with our prep teams while Aurora and Baxtin stay to remind us on what to do.

"Now your going to be shy and adorable" Aurora speaks to Roland

"Remember to not fall out of your chairs" Baxtin spoke to both of us.

"And Alexis, remember to be Clumsy and Bubbly." Aurora spoke to me.

She looks at both of us then says "Be happy to be here. Good luck"

We nod and they leave.

Then we head over to where everyone was lining up.

Everyone was already there.

"Look whose decided to join the party!" Theo called to us.

"Like we had any choice" Roland irritably says as we join them

I laugh "I hope we didn't miss anything"

"No" August says with a small smile.

"Nice results guys" I say with a smile

"We surprised the career pack"

We all smirk and glance at the careers who were glaring at us.

"Good that" August says, a big smirk on his face.

We line up properly and I wave at district 5 and 7. Who returned it with a smile.

They are part of our alliance as well.

By the time, it's finally my turn. I was so tired from waiting for so long.

"Good luck" says Georgia as I start to walk on the stage

"I'm not scared, I'll be fine"

And I walk up on the stage.

"Here she is! The girl everyone is seriously dying to meet! Alexis Lumbrage from District 10" Caesar Flickerman announced which is met by the loud cheers of the crowd.

The cheers are just as loud as the parade! I'm going to be deaf after this!

I smile, slipping easily into my character.

Clumsy and Bubbly. Like a toddler in a teenager body.

To emphasise to character, I trip into Ceasar's arms.

"Whoa!" He heaved out as he caught me.

"I'm sorry!" I apologise "I'm not used to these shoes at all!"

Caesar laughs like the whole audience at my comment.

"I just thankful you didn't trip and land face first on the stage, and ruin your beautiful face"

I giggle and talk at the same time "thank you! I'm glad I didn't trip anywhere else but your arms!"

"Oh, you can trip into my arms anytime!" He's says with a wide smile. Earning another laugh from the audience.

I laughs whole heartedly and sit down as he does

"Later" I say winking. Well, I just added 'a flirt' to my persona "if I don't, I've probably fallen over somewhere"

"If you don't, I'll be sure to find you and have you in my arms again" he laughs.

They weren't joking, he really makes people love someone from one thing.

"Now, We all saw you, when you walked up to the stage at the reaping," he says.

I knew exactly where this was going. I don't know if I should regret doing that or not because of the amount of people who were questioning me.

"And I know like me, everyone else is dying to hear what you were thinking when you heard your name because unlike others, you were angry! Why was that?" he questions, obviously curious.

"Well..." I say looking out into the audience where everyone was waiting for my answer.

"I was just thinking about how my name came out of thousands of people" I say. I find Aurora looking at me with a raised eyebrow. I just slipped out of my character a bit. Oops!

"And I just found that ridiculous!" I say, pouting, becoming out as a more bubbly person in my response.

Caesar laughs "Out of all the things, you could've thought!" He turns to the audience

"Am I right, folks?" The crowd cheered and I smiled at them. It wasn't that uncommon but I did look more angry than I had felt at that moment to other people.

He laughs loudly and turned to me again to question me.

"So, I'm wondering." He starts "How did you get that score? A nine! Pretty high for an outer district!"

"Oh, it wasn't that high compared to Roland!" I say with a giggle "and I don't think I'm supposed to talk about how that score came to be!"

"Aww! Give us a hint, at least!" Caesar insisted

"Well," I look at the Gamemaker balcony and I saw them giving an okay to give them a hint "judging by the Gamemakers. I'll just give you a small hint!"

Caesar leans in to get the answer "A horse!" I say with a laugh

Caesar copied my pout from before, this I laughed to "that's not much!"

"Too bad, I'm not giving you more!"

He groans frustrated "You tease me!"

The buzzer goes off

"Aww, that's all we can talk to you! I really hoped to get to know you more!"

"Oh, it's okay! I'm sure that you'll catch me again!" I giggle

"Oh, I hope so!"

"Me too!" I started to walk off "and it was real nice to meet you, Caesar!"

I look behind me at the audience "the same to you guys!" I say with a smile.

Then I purposely almost fall again but I catch myself "bloody shoes!" I shout

I smile when I heard the loud laughter of the audience.

"Alexis Lumbrage, everyone!" Caesar Flickerman says in his loud voice.

* * *

Part 1! Next part is the rest of the alliances interviews and a special meeting with a special someone!

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	9. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't own the hunger games! If I did, it wouldn't be so good, but at least Finnick would've survived.

~I slightly edited this, it's still not 10/10 sorry~

* * *

"I swear I saw a different person up there" Theo comments when I walk past him.

"My acting worked, yay!" I say cheerfully turning to him before rolling my eyes and turning back around to sit down. So I could watch the rest of the interviews.

Roland chuckles and gets ready to go on the stage.

"Let's bring out, the male tribute of district 10, Roland Friedgo!"

Roland moved on the stage. He really was into character, you could tell he was embarrassed by the way he held himself. He was walking, slowly and carefully to chairs and he looked like he was avoiding the looks of everyone in the audience.

"Roland! How are we?" Caesar says with gentleness in his voice obviously noticing Roland's nervousness.

"I- um" Roland starts and looked between the audience and Caesar. "Okay" he finishes

Caesar smiles "someone's a bit nervous, anything we can do to make you confident?"

"Umm" Roland fiddled with his hands and looks down and looks to the side where the tributes are, and where I am myself.

We look gazes. Oh, this type of friendship would be very loved by the Capitol.

I see the camera's find me, knowing where he's looking.

I smile. I'll play my part. I give him thumbs up, like I'm saying, he's doing alright.

He brightens up, "no, I'm fine." He quietly says but it's heard by everyone.

You can hear the aw's from the crowd.

Caesar smiles, looking at me then turning back to Roland with a very large smile

"I'll just get on with the questions, shall I?" Caesar asks.

Roland's softly smiles. Showing off, how cute he actually is. Even though he's seventeen, he looks adorable.

I couldn't help admiring him for it.

The Capitol love it, because all throughout his interview, they were silent and had the occasional sighs and aww's. They all thought the same.

The district 10's male tribute is adorable and they couldn't help but love his cuteness.

I couldn't stop smiling the whole interview. I could also see Aurora smirking. We both knew the usually quiet and smart Roland who is too much of a strong person to really be shy and innocent.

Once he came down from the stage, he walked straight over to me and sat down. I give him a smile and nudge him.

"You looked so adorable up there" I say with a teasing grin

"Shut up" Roland commands, he was really embarrassed now.

"No really" I say seriously.

He looks at me "well, thank you then. You aspired me"

I laugh "I didn't do much"

He rolled his eyes "well, you did encourage me on the stage"

"What was I supposed to do, not?"

He shrugs with a smile.

* * *

By the end;

Georgia had charmed the Capitol from her generous 'asking the crowd questions' interview.

August had been serious and business like the whole time. He didn't stray anywhere from his normal personality.

He had revealed that, we may or may not have formed an alliance.

When, Niobe came on. She looked scared and she unfortunately made the crowd bored.

Me, Roland, Georgia and August sighed but smiled encouragingly anyway.

She was part of our alliance and I liked her. She was nice.

Fortunately for the Capitol, Theo had made them all excited again.

Like August, he didn't stray from his personality.

He also said that they'll have to decide if they think, there is an alliance going on in the the outer districts.

The show finished after his interview.

We all swore to each other that we will meet in the arena before we separated.

The arena. It starts tomorrow.

I could die in the next week. I might even die tomorrow.

I turn silent when we reach our apartment in the building.

I did say thanks to Baxtin and Aurora's praise, but the rest of the time, I was thinking.

It's all crashing down on me now. The hunger games and what will happen if I go in there.

I might not even survive and see my family again. I'll never see my Sister and Brother again. I'll never see their faces that look so like mine and I'll never see my father. The father that took care of me and my siblings after mother had died, the father who taught me how to butcher, the father that tucked me in at night and read me a story to sleep.

I might never see them again.

I can feel my heart clench and sadden through dinner because of these thoughts.

I try to be happy but the thoughts keep on coming back.

I'll never see Tyler and Mollie again. I'll never smell their warm and welcoming smell of their home again. I won't ever feel the comfort and safety of our small conversations in the stables. I'll never go horse racing with Tyler again and feel the glory of always winning against him. I won't even have tickle fights with him in the hay stacks again. I might not even having the normal girl talks between Mollie and me. I could never see her smile again and I might never read a book to her again.

I'm going to miss them a lot.

I'm also going to miss Katniss.

The comfort from her always helps me in these situations.

But I'm too far away from her now. She's not a house away from me anymore. I can't just walk to the stables and sleep with her.

Not anymore.

I'm laying in bed now.

Roland and Aurora had been concerned for me earlier but I denied them.

We had even watched the interviews recap. I did look bubbly and clumsy. I almost brightened up by that but I remembered why I acted and I instantly had those thoughts again.

I really need air.

I decide and I get up from my bed.

I walked out of my room and tiptoed to the elevator. I know it should have a button to some place that accesses to some fresh air.

I scan the buttons and stop on the button that said 'Rooftop'. Since it's here, I'm guessing, we're able to go to it.

I sigh happily when I press the button and it goes up. I'll get fresh air for the first time since I got here, and hopefully it will help me stop having these thoughts.

Once the door opens I step outside, breathing deeply.

I think of the air out in district 10, the smell of hay and the smell of cattle manure. Despite how the smell would be to people who didn't live in my district, I like it. It's home and It's where I have lived my whole life.

Here in the Capitol, it's free from all those smells, but it's not calming as I hoped.

It's better than inside at least.

I walk forward, going for the edge. Not to jump, obviously. Just to sit on.

"If your going to jump, don't bother" says an awfully familiar voice.

I turn startled by my company.

I recognise him immediately, after seeing him on the screen all of last year and being the one to kill my districts tribute last year. It was hard to forget him.

Even his good looks and green marvellous eyes, makes it hard to forget him.

But to me, it was mainly the fact he won last year.

"I'm not going to" I say, still surprised that Finnick Odair is sitting down a little away, on the edge.

"Well if you did, it won't work" he says, looking away and picking up a small pile of rumble.

He gave me a look that said 'watch this' while I stood there, a little confused at what he meant.

He throws the rumble over the edge. My eyes widen when it comes back to him after it travelled a little down.

He had moved out of the way for it when it came past.

"Oh" I say simply.

He scans me for a moment before he says "What are you doing up here, if you're not going to jump?" He says curiously.

He looked sad at the same time.

I shrug and sit down on the edge, beside him.

"I needed fresh air, you?'

Finnick sighs "same"

We sat in silence. It was surprisingly calm. Despite the Capitol's cheers in the distance, that I had just noticed.

How can they be so excited? It's just a game.

I refuse to growl at them. My anger from the reaping is coming back.

I can't wait till this is all over... But what happens after the games. What don't they show on television. The madness and the real sadness of some victors is never shown, but that's all I know about what really happens after the games.

I turn to Finnick, he might have the answer. "is it bad after the games?"

Finnick peers at me for a second, despite we both being the same age. He seemed so much older than me.

He looked like he was deciding if he should tell me the truth or not.

He then looks back at me, looked like he decided to tell me the truth. Even if he didn't, I would think the opposite is really what happens.

"It is"

How bad? Does something bad happen to my family? The thoughts from earlier came back to my mind.

A tear fell from my eye. I'm finally talking about it, about my worries and depressed thoughts. I'm finally crying.

"If I win, will I still have family...?" I told more to myself than to Finnick but he replied

"Yes"

"What's so bad about it, then?" I ask, hoping that he didn't have an answer.

"You are basically the Capitol's property when you win and can't do anything about without destroying your loved ones" he said gloomily.

I stare at him. Did he mean that we aren't our own or something else?

An flashback of yesterday's lunch came to my mind.

...but he's only fifteen, no way would he have been made to do that yet.

He saw the look on my face, he looked almost surprised that I know.

"I should go" I say my voice cracking, now that I knew. I could be a prostitute if I win and even if reject them, they'll do something to my family. The image of Dandelion, Jude and My father dead comes to my mind. I start to move off the edge and toward the elevator.

Maybe getting fresh air, wasn't a good idea.

"Hey!" He took my wrist.

"What?" I mutter, tears flowing down my cheeks. He studied my face, his eyes looked pained but determined.

"If you win." He says, slowly and clearly.

"Treasure your family" he says and let's go of my wrist, watching me for my response.

I bring my wrist to my chest and stare at him confused.

Huh?

"Okay" I slowly say, once again looking at his eyes. They didn't show anything now. He was expressionless, but I don't question him.

I step back and I hurry away from Finnick, going down the elevator.

Treasure your family.

Treasure your family. Thats what he said. What does he mean?

Of course I'll treasure my family, I always do but I could tell there was more to it. His eyes were too serious not to be.

I rack my brain for an answer.

After I arrive back at district 10's apartment and back into my room.I couldn't figure it out. I must be too tired to really think into it... but, what could he have done that he would have to give me that advice.

* * *

I did end up finding sleep.

But even my dreams didn't keep away my worries.

I didn't see Roland that morning.

Aldar had come for me before I could.

We were going to the arena already.

We had gone to the roof, i looked at the spot where I official Finnick before I got frozen from a ladder and pulled up to a hovercraft.

A tracker gets inserted into my forearm before I get released and once, Aldar is pulled up. I'm finally guided to a room with food.

It's about forty-five minutes before the hovercraft landed and we were once again guided to another place. The launch room.

The stock yard to districts and I can't help but agree. This is the place where we go before we get slaughtered.

Once I finish getting cleaned and the clothes come.

I can't help but wonder what the arena is.

The clothes are so normal, you would think we're just at home.

It's just a dark grey shirt, tracksuit pants and obviously comfy sneakers.

There's no jacket with it, though.

Aldar doesn't have any clue why.

I sigh. I hope it's not a desert.

Then I wait with Aldar.

"I'm going to miss you" he says "your the first tribute to actually talk to us like normal people"

I look at him, sadly. He's making want to promise him, I'll win.

I don't want to get his hopes up.

As soon as I found out how terrible it could be after the games.

I've been less eager to win the games.

But there's one thing Finnick taught me with that sentence last night and my dreams in the end.

My family will still be there afterwards and like Tyler and Mollie said on the reaping day.

They won't ever be the same.

It doesn't matter if I'm different after these games.

My family matters.

I will win for them.

I will try for them.

I nod and smile sadly at Aldar "ill miss you guys as well"

"Your our little Lexi" he says with a gentle smile

Then a formal voice announces its time to launch. I resist to hiss at the voice, I don't want to go in there, but if I want to escape everything, I'll have too.

I take a deep breath.

It's time.

"Bye" I say to Aldar who waved back with a frown before I headed over to the circular tube.

Once I'm in and ready, the pad lifts me up. I lift up my chin to see if can have a glimpse of the arena but I'm met with darkness.

But then light pores all around me and I'm greeted by fresh air but there's no familiar smell of grass and trees. If there is grass and trees its further away from the middle of the arena. The only thing I can smell is the metallic smell of machinery and concrete.

* * *

I SUCK AT DESCRIBING SO SHHH!

next chapter; WELCOME TO THE 66TH ANNUAL HUNGER GAMES!

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